1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is generally directed to child motion devices, and more particularly to child motion devices that impart swinging, bouncing, swaying, gliding or other motion to a child occupant.
2. Description of Related Art
Commercially available child motion devices include pendulum swings and infant bouncer seats. These types of devices are often used in an attempt to entertain, sooth or calm a child. At the outset, a child is typically placed in a seat of the device. With conventional child swings, the device then moves the seated child in a reciprocating, simple pendulum motion. The seat of a typical bouncer device is supported by a flexible wire frame. The child's own movement or an external force applied by a caregiver then results in the bouncing oscillation of the child.
Examples of child motion devices include a Fisher-Price pendulum swing with a motor above the child's head. The seat of the swing can be oriented in one of two optional seat facing directions by rotating the suspended pendulum-type swing arm through a 90 degree angle. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,217 discloses a child seating device that can function as a rocker and has curved bottom rails so that the device can simulate a rocking chair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,499 discloses a motor driven rocker with a base and a seat that can be attached to the base. The base incorporates a drive system that can move the seat in a rocking chair-type motion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,902 discloses a complex apparatus in a pendulum-type swing. The seat of the swing moves in a manner such that a component of its travel path includes a side-to-side arcuate path shown in FIG. 9 of the patent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,994 discloses another child swing in which the base is formed having a first stationary part and a second part that can be turned or rotated by a parent within the first part. The seat swings in a conventional pendulum-like manner about a horizontal axis and a parent can rotate the device within the stationary base part to change the view of the child seated in the seat.
Despite the availability of various child motion devices, caregivers unfortunately often find the available devices to be unsatisfactory due to unsuccessful attempts to sooth a child.